Prince of Tennis OneShots
by Mirr0
Summary: Random Prince of Tennis One-shots
1. Like Anime xXx Echizen Ryoma

**Like Anime**

**Ryoma Echizen**

Amane smiled contently as she leaned against her chair, arms raised up above her head in a stretch. A soft moan left her sealed lips as she enjoyed the feeling. Sighing in bliss, she brought her arms down, back against the desk. Her eyes soon found their way glued on the paper in front of her, filled with words in her writing.

She giggled quietly to herself. She had really outdone herself this time. Everything was dead on.

Staring at the last line she had written, her smile grew brighter. That one was definitely the one she had noticed the most. Walking out of the room, she ignored the students that stared at her abnormal cheeriness, sweat-dropping.

Never, had she thought that maybe, they were sweating because of her actions.

**'Sweating is a sure sign of stress'**

"Please read the model." She heard the droning of the teachers voice. Words that sounded foreign to her ears spilled from her mouth, as if her brain had a mind of its own.....in a sense....

Nodding, the teacher allowed her to sit, then continued with his lecture.

Her eyes fluttered shut....then open....then shut again. Blinking continuously, she tried to stay awake in this boring, prolonged class filled with the dull, monotone voice of the algebra teacher. Sighing, she gave in to her want for sleep.

Setting her elbow against the table, she let her head rest against her palm as she shut her eyes. Amane's breathing almost became even before she could feel a pang against her head. The stinging sensation made her eyes widen as she jerked up in her seat.

"Pay attention, Junko-san." The teacher muttered, not pleased with her.

"Sorry." She apologized softly as she stared down towards the ground. A piece of worn out chalk laid there, gradually rolling away.

**'Teachers have excellent aim with small objects.'**

"I think I've found the answer!" Her friend had suddenly stated as she rose her finger up in the air. Amane's head perked up at her friend's sudden outburst, eyes blinking stupidly.

"What? You finally finished your homework?" She questioned with a yawn. They had been in the library doing self-study, well, Amane was dreaming about her and _him_.

"No...." Her friend pouted. Immediately, it perked back into a smile. "What I need, is one of **those**." She emphasized as she pointed at Kyoko, smartest girl in the class.

A small laugh left Amane's lips as she turned back around, reading through her textbook. "You seriously don't believe that, do you?"

"What's there not to believe. Her brother has one too, and he's in the top university in Japan." Her friend shrugged and continued to work on her homework.

**'Smart people wear glasses'**

Walking down the school campus dejectedly, she really didn't understand. Yeah, she had been keeping it in for a long time....but...how could she ignore this now? She wasn't great at English like he was, she wasn't over all smart like Kyoko, she wasn't as cute as Sakuno.

Sighing, she noted an empty spot on the bench beside the tennis courts. Occupying it, she couldn't help but sigh once more. Stupid boy, screwing up her heart. She hated it so much, but if her life was like an anime, there would always be a happy ending, right?

Life was like anime...right? Of course she was right! She had a **list** of similarities in her notebook!

Feeling somewhat better, she turned her head to the side, catching the girl, that was once mentioned in her thoughts, staring at her with a questioning expression. "Are you okay, Amane-chan?"

"S-Sakuno-chan." She stuttered. "I'm fine, really." She couldn't help but feel envious. Why did she have to fall for a guy, who was probably in love with the girl in front of her. "What about you?" Amane's chocolate eyes glanced over her face. Her gaze broke through Sakuno's facade, which wasn't well set up.

"What do you mean?" She asked with a flustered voice, a blush started to spread across her face. "Nothing's wrong with me!" Even though Amane didn't believe Sakuno's lie, she could tell that Sakuno was troubled too.

Maybe she was having guy problems too......with Ryoma?

**'Romance never comes simpler than in a triangle.'**

"He what? Seriously?" Amane couldn't help but overhear random ramblings from the girls surrounding the courts. Their gossips and gasps were unbearable, you couldn't block it out.

"I'm serious! Ryoma-kun did it all by himself too!" The random girl's friend exclaimed. This fact seemed to interest Amane. Who knew he had it in him?

Well, she did. She had had fantasies where he was a knight in shining armor. There were also moments where she would imagine him tilting his head back, sweat that disconnected itself from his hair seemed to sparkle in the air as it fell to the ground. ….....Those moments did come often though, so that didn't count her as one of those obsessed fan girls.....hopefully.

"Did you know, Ryoma-kun caught a purse-thief?" Amane couldn't help but spread the rumor around. If glorified the boy who stood in the court, playing against his upper-class man....well, he was always glorified in her eyes.

**'The boy in the baseball cap is always more powerful than he seems.'**

"Hey, Ryoma-kun, what's your favorite season?" Amane asked the green-ish haired boy as they walked home. The temple that he lived in was only a few blocks away from her house.

"Why?" He asked in his bored, monotone voice. His eyes never strayed away from the route in front of him.

Amane slightly frowned, but continued talking. "Well, I was just wondering. What's your least favorite season?"

"I hate winter." The boy stated blatantly, adjusting the strap on his bag. "Too cold."

Pouting, the girl looked up to him. "Times like these, I wonder why we're friends." She mused. "We have nothing in common."

"Who knows." The boy shrugged turning the corner. Amane quickly followed his actions. She wasn't sure whether he said that in reply to the first sentence, or last.

"In my opinion, winter is the best!" She stated, walking up to his side. Her stare bored into his head, making him gaze at her from the corner of his eyes. "Snow compensates for everything."

"Then buy a snow globe." He stated. "It snows every time you shake it."

"That's different!" She argued.

Sighing in defeat, the boy didn't know why he spent his time debating idiotic things like this with her. The beating of his heart made it seem as if it were a sport, other than tennis. Did he actually enjoy it? "I guess winter is okay." He murmured as he walked through the gates, into his house.

"How about snow!?" She questioned as she watched him pause on the door step. Not facing her, he waved his hand as a gesture of goodbye, but she understood the second meaning behind it.

Smiling brightly, she skipped the rest of the way home.

**'Snow means love.'**


	2. Soul Mate xXx Kamio Akira

**Soul Mate  
**Kamio Akira

**Incompatible, it don't matter though.  
****'Cause someone's bound to hear my cry  
****Speak out if you do, you're not easy to find.**

"Speed up the rhythm." A boy shouted as his pace on the courts increased, leaving his opponents tired and slightly awed.

All the girls and boys surrounding the courts applauded as they watched the red haired boy score a point after another point.

Though, a girl who hid in the shade underneath a tree a few feet away from the courts watched him with a blank expression on her face. Don't be fooled, in reality, she had a major fondness over the boy who she was watching. Sometimes she just thought so hard that you couldn't spot any emotions.

He interested her so much. Maybe it was because of his tennis style, relating his tennis with music. Maybe it was something else....his looks?

Well whatever.

Every time she watched him play, or him in general, a knot would form in her stomach. It hurt so bad, knowing that she was in love, but also knowing that it could never be...not at all. They were complete opposites anyways.

He was....out there. He was popular and social. He was lively and athletic. And here she is. Hiding underneath a tree, secluded from people.

**Is it possible Mr. Loveable is already in my life?  
Right in front of me,  
****Or maybe you're in disguise.**

She sat in her seat, letting her pencil fly across her paper, just copying down notes. It was Literature class, the only class that she shared with the famed regular. It was the class she loved, and hated. And that's all because he was in it.

The feeling she always had in this class was indescribable. Should she be joyous about the fact that he sat behind her? Or should she be uncomfortable with the knots in her stomach?

"What does that word mean right there?" He asked after he poked her shoulder gently with the eraser of his pencil. Kuri quickly glanced towards him and then the board. The faint blush was spreading across her face as she tried to get over the fact that he talked to her, even if it was just a simple question.

"Sympathy." She replied quietly as she turned her head to the side. "It means to give pity in a nice way."

"Ah, I get it. Thanks." he smiled softly at her. Resisting another blush that was quickly rising towards her face, she nodded and turned back around.

**Who doesn't long for someone to hold?  
****Who knows how to love you without being told?  
****Somebody tell me why I'm on my own,  
****If there's a soul mate for everyone.**

She walked down the school sidewalks as she headed towards the tennis courts for the millionth time in the months she had attended to Fudomine. Her gaze was locked on the ground as she continued to walk, not paying attention to anything that was in front of her.

"Ah!" Someone's voice piped up as she felt a pressure against her shoulder, knocking her back a few steps. "Sorry." The voice apologized. Kuri looked up to see why the voice sounded so familiar.

Right in front of her was that red haired boy, Kamio. She meekly nodded an apology before walking past him in a rush, attempting to hide another one of those blushes that seemed to overwhelm her face.

Seconds later, she found her tree a few feet away from the courts, her spot. She breathed in the clean air around her in relief. This tree was like her sanctuary. No one had ever bothered her when she was here.

Maybe it was because of the blank stares she had always been giving off when she watched the regulars practice. Maybe it was because she wasn't the talkative type. Maybe people just thought she was just plain creepy.

Well whatever reason it was, she didn't really mind. This was her sanctuary....it would always be her sanctuary.

She stretched for a few more seconds before sitting down against the trunk of the tree, totally unaware of the gaze that she was receiving from a certain someone a few feet away.

**Here we go again,  
****The circles never end.  
****How do I find the perfect fit?  
****There's enough for everyone,  
****But I'm still waiting in line.**

She took out a piece of paper and started to work on her homework. She had nothing better to do anyways. The regulars weren't out yet, it was only the other, not so great, tennis members that were on the courts. She sighed silently before pulling out a small text book and started to draw a few strokes on her paper.

She was so into her homework, she didn't even notice another presence coming up and then sitting beside her.

Minutes passed and nothing was heard but the tennis balls being hit by the rackets, the sound of paper moving, and her pencil making each and every stroke on her paper. Finally, it was then that he decided to actually say something to make his existence known.

"Can I copy you're homework when you're done, Kuri-chan?" He joked, causing her to jump slightly in surprise. Her head quickly shot up in his direction. He noticed that her entire face had lit up into a deep red color. Just as quick as her head shot up, she snapped it to the side and faintly pouted while murmuring some words.

"What?" He asked as he leaned closer to her, cupping his ear.

"G-Go do it by yourself." She stuttered, hiding her face more and more after every syllable.

**Most relationships seem so transitory.  
****They're all good, but not the permanent one.**

Kamio chuckled softly as her words reached his ears. "But I don't have time to actually do it." he continued his joke, though she didn't seem to catch on.

Her blush deepened as she tried to shrug him off. It was as if her sanctuary had been intruded …..wait....it had. She quickly glanced back at the so-called 'intruder'. The worst kind too. It was the Kamio Akira kind.

Knots appeared in her stomachs again. Painful, yet it was also a nervous feeling.

"Well...I guess you could..." She sighed, but her breath caught short from her nervousness and she quickly inhaled another breath.

The boy laughed loudly as he listened to her answer. "Nah, it's okay, I was just joking." He reassured her as he started to rock back and forth, trying to ignore the awkwardness that started to set in the air.

"When does your practice start?" Kuri suddenly asked while pausing her pencil strokes.

Kamio looked at her with a somewhat surprised expression. "In a few minutes, why?" he asked curiously.

"I...just didn't want you to be late, that's all." She blushed as she returned to her homework, completely missing the smile that appeared onto his lips.

"You know, this might be the most we've ever said to each other." He stated as he switched his stare from Kuri to the courts. "It's actually nice talking to you."

Kuri stopped her moving pencil and looked at him with a super meek expression on her face. "Uh...thanks?" She thanked with an embarrassed tone. "I...actually..." she started to say, but choked at the end.

"What?" Kamio questioned as his attention zeroed in on the girl.

"I.."

"Akira, practice is staring now." a boy with short, blue hair muttered. Kuri and Kamio jumped in total surprise as they heard him. Kuri quickly gathered her items and put them into her bag.

"I...have to get home." She excused herself. She then nodded and walked off.

"Bye...." Kamio waved as he watched her walk away. Once she was out of sight, his soft gaze turned into an angry glare as he directed it towards his tennis friend.

"Why are you looking at me?" The boy asked with a bored tone. "It's not like I did anything wrong. Why is he looking at me like that. Maybe that girl had to do something with it. Could it be that Akira li--" the boy's mutterings were cut short as Kamio quickly clamped his mouth shut, restricting him from saying anything more.

**Who doesn't long for someone to hold?  
****Who knows how to love you without being told?  
****Oh, somebody tell me why I'm on my own.  
****If there's a soul mate for everyone.**

The next day, Kuri decided not to attend to her daily sanctuary during the morning practices. Instead, she wandered around the campus in deep thought. Her blank expression retracted the people around her.

The knots that appeared in her stomach yesterday seemed to be a little too intense. Even now, the next day, she still seemed to be feeling them in her stomach. Either it was a really bad cramp, or a fact that she was madly in love with a boy that could never be hers.

Momentarily snapping out of her own thoughts, she looked down onto the watch that hung loosely on her wrist. It was about time for Literature class to start. Sighing, she let her arm fall back beside her and walked towards class.

Once she stepped into the doorway, her attention was quickly captured by the red haired boy that sat in the seat behind her, who obviously looked like he was waiting for someone. The same knots continued to form in her stomach as she walked towards her desk. Each step made the knots grow tighter and tighter.

"Good Morning, Kuri-chan." he greeted as he watched her sit down.

"...Good morning, Kamio-san." She greeted him back, trying to ignore the suffix that she had just noticed he used.

"Where were you this morning?" He asked with a concerned look on his face. Really, he thought that she was just avoiding him. After all, she had been put through an uncomfortable situation yesterday.

"I...decided that I felt a little stiff, so I walked around the campus." she lied, an awkward smile seemed to have found its way onto her lips. It wasn't a complete lie, but it was still the truth.

**Who doesn't long for someone to hold?  
****Who knows how to love you without being told.  
****Somebody tell me why I'm on my own.  
****If there's a soul mate for everyone.**

Kamio frowned. He didn't really know if he should have took it as a lie or a truth. "You know, you can talk to me. I'm always here, you know." He smiled warmly at her, causing her to blush more, the knots tightened in her stomach.

"I'd rather not." her voice gradually faded into a whisper as she tried to ignore the growing nervousness and pain in her stomach. It was as if she were about to implode.

Kamio's frown grew bigger as he heard her faint reply. "Why?"

"Because...."

"Because why?" He persisted.

"Because I like you okay? Every time you're around me, I get these knots in my stomach! They hurt, I don't know what to do about them. But what I do know is that not only does it inflict pain on me, it also makes me so nervous too." Her voice grew as she continued to blab about it loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, but she wasn't paying any attention to what she was saying, none at all.

Kamio looked at her with wide eyes. In the past few months he had seen her sitting underneath that tree, just gazing blankly at the courts. At first it had somewhat intimidated him, but as the days went on, he just saw her as another girl who secluded herself from everyone. If he didn't have this class with her, he wouldn't have gotten to know her. If he didn't have this class with her, he would have continued to think she was a stalker. If he didn't have this class with her, maybe.....maybe he wouldn't have fallen for her.

Seconds later, Kuri's eyes grew as wide as his as she realized the words she had just said. She quickly clamped her mouth and ran out of the room. She felt so embarrassed.

A split second later, Kamio's senses returned to him. Quickly, he jumped up from the seat and sprinted after her. These words....they had finally registered in his head. It was a confession, an indirect one, one that wasn't meant to be said. But it was also one that had a mutual feeling to.

"Kuri!" Kamio called out as he spotted the girl running down the hallways. She heard him, but her pace didn't slow. _'Speed up the rhythm.'_ he silently thought in his head as his pace increased. "Kuri, wait!" he shouted. Less than two seconds later, he found himself a few centimeters away from her. He quickly grabbed her wrist and yanked her to a stop.

"Let go!" She shouted.

"Listen to me!" Kamio insisted as he tried to catch his breath. "I feel the same way." He confessed.

"....what?" she asked in disbelief.

"I....feel the same way." he repeated, a slight blush covered his face. "And...I'm not letting you run away from me." He murmured as he pulled her into one of his warm embraces.

**If there's a soul mate for everyone.**


	3. Potential xXx Kuwahara Jackal

Sitting under a shady tree, I attempted to read one of the novels that I had gotten from the library.

With the steady wind blowing oh so softly, the small rays of sunlight seeping through the layers of leaves that hung from the branches of the tree, I guess you could say it was my 'ideal' time to be reading outside.

Seconds passed as I flipped the page to the next chapter. Right as I started reading the next sentence, a hollow thumping sound reverberated through the air.

Deciding that it was just my imagination, I continued to read. Another second passed until another hollow thumping sound filled my ears.

Unable to concentrate, I closed my book and slowly stood up to my feet. Whatever that sound was, I wanted to know, since it was part of my curious nature. Each step I took, the sound grew louder and louder.

"Kyaa!!!" the sound of a screaming girl seemed to fit into the atmosphere surrounding the area.

"Marui-kun is so cool!" another shrieked.

Eying the crowd of girls curiously, I slowly walked up towards an open area where the fence wasn't _too_ crowded. What was it that the girls were looking at? I rose my gaze to see courts, tennis courts. Why are they watching the tennis club practice?

Even though I asked myself this question, I found myself entranced by their swift movements, their pin-point precision. My gaze hopped from one court, to another. One game, to another.

"FIRE!!!!" a sudden loud, strong voice yelled, catching my undivided attention.

Over on the court that was located to the left, there was a red-haired boy, and a bald boy who didn't seem like he was from around here. Though I didn't know much about tennis, I could tell that they were partners. Their teamwork, their strategies...were just perfect, in sync.

It was that moment, even though I may not have noticed it, that I suddenly fell in love with the sport.

Everyday, after school, I would walk over to the tennis courts to watch the tennis club play...or more specifically, watch that pair practice. Sometimes I would bring a book, just in case they were taking a break or something along those lines.

Though, my perfect attendance to the tennis courts didn't go unnoticed by the players, or the fan girls. Nor did my attention span go unnoticed. After the ninth day of observing their practice, the tennis club members seemed to have noticed who I was paying attention to, and who I wasn't paying attention too.

"Such a dedicated fan girl." I'd hear them murmur to each other while I was reading.

I wouldn't consider myself as a fan girl though. I didn't have one of those crushes on any of the members, I didn't fight with other girls to claim a member all to myself. I was just there to watch.

About a month and a half passed, and I still arrived at the tennis courts, never missing a single day. By then, most of the members had learned to ignore me and continue with practice, though the regulars seemed to take notice now. How do I know? Every time I arrive at the courts, I catch their quick glance my way. During their practice, when I look up from my book, I see them whispering to each other while glancing in my direction every few seconds.

Though, none of it ever really bothered me.

~-~-~-~

The next day, after class, I gathered my possessions and placed them into my bag, only leaving one novel clutched in my hand. Since I wasn't in any rush, and school had ended, I grabbed my bag and slowly walked out into the deserted hallways, towards the tennis courts.

Arriving at the courts seemed normal. There were some girls still hanging out near the fences and cheering for their favorite regular. The whisperings from the members were still being exchanged, so were the random glances that were still being directed at me. I learned to ignore it all though.

"Yo! Creepy stalker girl." Someone called out as I seated myself in my normal spot underneath another shady tree. I turned my head to look at the red-headed boy that I had been watching for the past month.

"You're talking to me?" I raised my brow. This was definitely different.

"Who else?" he rolled his eyes.

"....." I blushed slightly at the nickname. Do I really resemble a stalker?

"Haa?" he leaned towards me with a hand cupping his ear, signaling that he couldn't hear me too well. Apparently he thought I was saying something.

I stared at him with a dead panned expression. "Your name....is it Kuwahara Jackal?" I suddenly asked. He blinked a few times with a blank expression painted on his face.

"Jackal? No...I'm Marui, Marui Bunta, the genius of Rikkaidai Fuzokchu." he said as he jabbed his thumb against his chest.

"Hm..." I hummed as if I were interested in a word he was saying.

I opened the novel, which was still clutched in my hand, to the page I left off on in class, completely ignoring the 'genius'.

"Why are you always here?" he suddenly asked.

"Am I not allowed?" I questioned, not looking up from my book. I waited a few seconds for his response, which never came. Curious, I looked up from my book to see that he had already walked away.

That was...interesting.

After the tennis practice, I closed my book, grabbed my bag, and walked home. The encounter with Marui was still etched into my brain.

_"Yo, creepy stalker girl."_

_"Why are you always here?"_

I sighed as I turned around the corner. People these days, thinking that I'm a stalker or an overly-obsessed fan girl. I continued walking in silence, listening to my footsteps. The steady rhythm of my footsteps seemed to calm me and erase all my thoughts.

Suddenly, something threw me off my pace. Opening my eyes, I listened intently to the other pair of footsteps that seemed to entwine with mine.

I paused. The other pair of footsteps stopped. I continued walking. They started up again.

Turning around, I scanned the area behind me to see nothing...no one. I turned back around and continued walking, this time feeling the chill go through my spine as I continued to hear the faint footsteps entwining with mine. Unable to take it, I suddenly came to an abrupt stop.

"Who are you?" I questioned as I turned around. Still, I saw no one. "I know you're there, stop hiding."

Seconds later, a familiar boy with red hair stepped out with his hands held up in defense. "Oh, so you've caught me." he smirked. "Not bad."

"What do you want?" I questioned. "I thought I was this...supposed stalker." I couldn't help but smile while saying that sentence.

"You are the stalker. All I want is a talk with you."

"I'm sorry, I have plans for the rest of today." I lied smoothly.

"How about tomorrow?" were the last words I heard from him as I continued to walk home.

~-~-~

The next day at school, I walked through the hallways with a handful of books, most of them were novels. I sighed as I continued to walk down the hallways. For some reason, today had felt like a very long day.

Skillfully, I shifted the books into one arm while I used my free hand to rub my temples while I continued to walked down the hall. When you've had a long day, of course you'd feel super tired too.

Suddenly, since I wasn't paying attention, I ran into something...or someone. The force sent me flying onto my butt with a thud, and sent my books flying in the air. Cringing at the pain that was running up my hip, I opened one eye while running the side of my butt.

"Sorry." I apologized.

"It's okay." a male voice assured me.

I opened my eyes to see the other member of the tennis pair. Apparently the force of the collision at sent him against the ground as well. I looked around the area to see my fallen books. Sighing in frustration, I shifted my position to where I was on my knees, bending over to gather them.

Upon reaching for one, my hand accidentally caressed his, since he too was reaching for it. "Sorry." I mumbled again, snatching my hand away as I moved my gaze to look for another book that I had dropped.

"These are some famous novels, so I've heard." the tanned boy stated. "Are they interesting?"

I paused and looked at him curiously. "They're bearable to read." I stated as I managed to stand again with the books secured in my arms. "Can I have that back?"

He nodded and set the book on top of the pile in my arms. "Do you like to read?"

"Not really." I mumbled as I passed by him. "You're not from around here are you?" I suddenly asked, pausing in mid-step.

"No, I'm not." he replied.

"Where are you from?"

"Brazil." he answered.

"Brazil...." I mused as I continued to walk to class again.

~-~-~-~-~-

After school, I walked to the tennis courts with a novel in one hand, my bag in the other, just like every other day. Everything was normal, until I came upon my usual spot. There, sat the two partners, who seemed to be awaiting for my arrival.

I paused, staring at the two boys curiously. Why were they there?

Marui seemed to have noticed me first and nudged the Brazilian who sat in my regular spot, of course I had already assumed the boy to be Kuwahara Jackal.

Hesitantly, I started walking again towards the two teens and sat myself down on the side of the tree, making some distance between them, and opened my novel. A long moment of awkward silence passed through the air as I ignored the two.

"Well, Jackal, have fun talking to her." Marui finally said as he stretched and left towards the entrance to the courts.

"M-Marui!" Jackal called as he stretched his arms towards his retreating teammate. Sighing, he let it fall against his side while he took a quick glance in my direction.

Flipping to the next page, I simply ignored his gaze that bored a hole into my head. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't stare at me." I sighed tiredly, unable to take it any longer.

"I'm sorry." he replied, no hint of embarrassment from being caught.

I looked up from my novel and glanced at him. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Why do you read these books even though you don't like reading?" he questioned, staring at the book in my hands.

"This concerns you in what way?"

"Just wondering." he replied, not moving his gaze from the book.

I sighed and leaned my head against the tree. "You know how people say, 'The more you read, the better your writing is'?"

He nodded.

"Ever since I was little, I wanted to become a writer." I told him as I gazed down at the green grass. "There was always this one author that I had admired. Her writing style, her story lines...they were amazing, almost like the way you and Marui-san play tennis. A year ago, my mother had found an ad saying that she would be accepting some children to teach her writing skills to." I gave off a faint smile as I thought about it more. "I thought that maybe....maybe if I read more, my skills would increase, and so would my chances of being taught by her. Because of that, I set aside my dislike for reading just to become a better writer." The smile gradually faded as I returned to reality. "It's a long shot, I know."

"No. Not really." Jackal stated. I shot a questioningly look at him. "When I was younger, back in Brazil, I had a teacher there. He had many...better students to teach, yet he chose me." he looked at me. "Thanks to that, I was able to play tennis."

"You were just lucky." I mumbled as I returned to my book.

"No it wasn't luck." He disagreed with me. "It was the potential that my teacher had sensed." With that, Jackal stood up and walked away, this time leaving me to stare at his retreating form.

"_It was the potential that my teacher had sensed."_

That sentence haunted me for the rest of the day. What did that sentence mean? Potential? How can someone sense potential?

~-~-~-~

The next morning, I ran into the same Brazilian, bald-headed boy while walking down the hallways.

"Hey, you." I called out, immediately catching his attention. "I've been thinking about what you said yesterday...." I looked off to the side with a tint of pink covering my face. I didn't like letting people know that I didn't understand something. "...and I want you to explain what you meant."

He looked at me with a blank expression at first, but it was quickly replaced with one that he normally wore. "Potential."

"What about it?" I asked, rather irritated. I knew that so far.

"What people look for is your potential. Will you stick to your goal? How hard will you work for it? All that is what they are looking for."

I stood in my spot, gazing at him while letting his words sink into my head. Potential was all I needed. I had potential, I knew that.

"Though looking at you, you've seem like the person who has potential." he continued, catching my attention once more. "More potential than anyone I've ever seen. Which makes me interested in you." he stated bluntly.

Blushing, I looked away embarrassed. "W-Whatever." I mumbled as I passed by him in the hallway. After a few quick steps, I paused and turned around, to see him looking at me. "And for what you said about your teacher seeing your potential...." I said softly as I looked off to the side, "...he made a right decision by choosing to teach you." With that, I turned around and continued walking.

= - = - =

Jackal watched as she rounded the corner and disappeared from his sight with a blush stretched across his face. A slight smile etched its way onto his lips. She had just complemented him.

Suddenly, a hand clasped around his shoulder, startling him. Turning around, he saw his partner, Marui.

"So, how'd it go?" he asked, smacking on his gum.

"Fine, it went just fine." Jackal replied with a smile never leaving his face.

"Eh? Is Jackal in love~?" Marui smirked as he observed his partner's expression.

"I might be." he replied as he turned around and walked towards his next destination. "I might be." he repeated in a whisper.


End file.
